Former BayStar Hitman Hits Back

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks' newly signed free agent Uchikawa Seiichi, signed from the Yokohama BayStars this past off season, had a field day against his former team mates, sending Yokohama to 6 consecutive losses after their two wins to start Open-sen (the pre-season).

Batting in the number three slot, Uchikawa came to the plate in the first inning with nobody on and two outs. Despite not being familiar with the BayStars' new foreign lefty Brandon Mann, Uchikawa went deep to left for his first home run of the pre-season, a solo shot to put the Hawks up 1-0. Two innings later, Uchikawa drove in Honda Yuichi with a base hit up the middle, and was plated himself on Matsuda Nobuhiro's double to left an out later. Uchikawa had another hit in the fifth to go 3 for 3 against his former team mates in this game in Uchikawa's old back yard at Kita Kyushu (where SoftBank was the visiting team for some odd reason).

Uchikawa thus had a hand in 3 runs against Yokohama. Matsuda, who shared credit with Uchikawa, scoring him in the 3rd, hit a solo home run in the 8th inning to bring the score to 4-2 at the time, and that was the final.

Kaga Shigeru (my choice for taking over the closing position) threw a perfect 6th and 7th innings, striking out two. This was Kaga's first Open-sen appearance, and he picks up where he left off last year, throwing very well. Please, Obana-kantoku, move Kaga to the closer spot.

The second home run of the afternoon was given up by Ohta Atori, who allowed two more hits before retiring the Hawks in the 8th inning. Finally, trailing by two runs in the 9th, Yamaguchi Shun came in to "close" and retired the Hawks in order.